Forget New Zealand
by Muffinzelda
Summary: Yet another AU about Robbie abandoning his travel plans with Laura. This time, New Zealand and the extended Hobson clan were never a consideration, but rather Robbie and Laura had been headed to Australia to visit his son. Thanks to CrazyMaryT for planting this seed in my brain.
1. Monday

Disclaimer: This story is for fan purposes only. I have liberally borrowed and repurposed dialogue from the series. The original plot and characters are the property of their respective owners (not me!) and are used here without permission. Enjoy!

Author Note: Hmmm, I seem to have written another AU about Robbie not going to New Zealand. I guess that ending really bothered me to the point where I had to write three different alternate endings. There's _Antipodes, Lewis and Clark,_ and this present story- consider it variations on a theme, or a 'what if' trilogy. _Antipodes_ is probably my favourite because it's cannon until the end, but they all have their merits. This past summer in anticipation of the last Lewis broadcasts in the US, I wrote a Lewis themed rant for every letter of the alphabet on Tumblr. (Muffinzelda's Musings, if you're curious.) On the K is for Ken entry, CrazyMaryT commented that she wished that Laura and Robbie had been bound for Australia to see his son rather than the New Zealand boondoggle that we saw on screen. I hadn't thought of it that way before, but it makes so much more sense. It really stuck with me, so here is my version of what might have been.

* * *

The letter bomb had detonated upon hitting the window of David Capstone's flat though the explosion ripped through the entire floor. Robbie Lewis felt himself thrown against a wall then debris pelting him as he attempted to shield his face. He felt his way along the wall until he found a doorway and began to crawl until he found stairs. He couldn't hear a thing for the ringing in his ears and smoke had reduced all visibility, but he felt a hand feeling for him and then tugging him to his feet. James Hathaway.

The next moments were all a blur, but Lewis, Hathaway, and David Capstone somehow all made it out of the building alive. Emergency sirens were heard imminently. By the time Chief Superintendent Moody arrived on the scene, Lewis was almost able to hear again- much to his chagrin.

"What the hell were you thinking? You should have retreated to a safe distance and let the bomb squad take over. I don't like my men being blown up." Moody bellowed.

"I'm not a huge fan of it meself," Lewis retorted.

Moody was determined to be at the center of the investigation. "I will accompany Mr. Capstone to hospital and take a statement. You two need to get checked out as well." Miraculously, Lewis and Hathaway did not seem to be too hurt, but procedure dictated that they be cleared by a physician before returning to duty.

"Skip the hospital, just take me to the mortuary, Joe." Robbie decided to dispense with the 'sir' under the circumstances.

"Come on, Lewis. You're old but you're not dead yet."

Lewis glared at his boss. "We'll let Dr. Hobson be the judge of that, all the same."

"Perhaps you should compromise and have Dr. Hobson meet you at the hospital."

* * *

Sergeant Maddox drove Lewis and Hathaway to the John Radcliffe, where Dr. Hobson had been pacing the triage area waiting for their arrival. She ran towards Lewis; he breathed a sigh of relief as he expected her to throw her arms around him and kiss his pain away.

*Whump!* Hobson surprised them all by giving Lewis a whack on the arm for putting himself in harm's way and a second blow for leaving her a voicemail describing the incident as a 'small bomb.'

She turned her wrath to Hathaway. "And you, James! Is it too much to ask for you to keep him alive for two more days until we leave for Australia? Don't you have some paperwork he can do?" He braced himself in case Hobson lashed out at him physically as well, but there was no need.

Lewis wrapped his arm around Hobson from behind. He gently kissed her hair before breaking the bad news. "I'm sorry love; I'm not going to go to Australia. The case, you see…"

"What case, Robbie? You know who did it. Isn't it obvious?" She was treated to blank stares from the three detectives. "The bomber is David Capstone himself. How else would he have known that particular package was a bomb unless 'it's a bomb' was written on the envelope? This is ridiculous! You're being ridiculous!"

Lewis and Hathaway exchanged a glance, and then Hathaway and Maddox raced off to go to investigate Hobson's idea. Lewis and Hobson were then alone; or as alone as two people could be in a hospital waiting room.

Lewis lowered his voice. "I'm scared, Laura. I'm just a consultant. Moody doesn't have to renew my contract. If I go now, I'm not sure there will be anything for me when I come back."

"Well, what am I meant to do, go on my own? To see your own son?"

"What, you're still going?"

"Of course I'm still going! We planned this trip together, Robbie. It's the trip of a lifetime, and I for one want to see the world before we're too old to enjoy it. Besides, our plane tickets are non-refundable."

A nurse summoned Lewis, but he was locked on Hobson's steely blue eyes.

"Go on," Hobson nodded towards the nurse. "You'd best be seen by a doctor who doesn't want to kill you."


	2. Tuesday

Another day, another small bomb in Oxford. Though this time, Lewis and Hathaway were nowhere near the explosion in the lab of one Andrew Dimmock. They were both busy sorting through the rubble of their personal lives- Lewis and Hobson had come to an understanding, but Hathaway was dealing with his father who had had a series of small strokes complicating his dementia.

Lewis tried to convince Hathaway to let him take care of the latest bombing. "Go, hold his hand."

"We don't do holding hands," Hathaway said, nonplussed by the suggestion.

"Just being there for him and your sister, that's all that matters." Lewis said.

"And I'm supposed to take advice from someone who has decided not to go to Australia to see his son?"

Lewis could see that the tables had turned. "Come on then, spit it out."

"You know, you were keen, now you're not so keen. I'm just wondering what's happened."

"I'm worried Moody's going to close me down. If I come back and I'm not a copper anymore, then what will I be? I tried being away. I'm rubbish at it."

"Do you love your son?" Hathaway needled.

Robbie scowled in response.

"Then go to Australia. Show him that you love him. Don't assume that he knows. People make that assumption and it's a mistake. And the same goes for Laura. If you really love her, you need to find a way to reconcile your past with your future. Laura and Ken should meet; it's been long enough. But you're afraid of what happens if they don't get on, so you figure it's just easier to keep on doing the job with your pathologist girlfriend so that your son doesn't have to accept that you have someone permanent in your life."

"Shouldn't I be lying on a couch for this sort of guff? What about you and Nell?"

"You don't know her."

"Don't I?" Lewis softened his tone. "Our Lyn acts as a go-between me and my son. And it takes its toll on her. I suspect your Nell is much the same."

Hathaway flicked his cigarette away. Both men got in the car to return to the station, slamming their doors. Each was angry at the other, resenting the intrusion.

Hathaway came to his senses first and was filled with remorse. The two men were living the same story of estranged fathers and sons, each in his own way. Hathaway offered to accompany Lewis back to the scene of the third bomb.

"I'm fine on me own," Lewis snapped.

* * *

In the end, it was Lewis who solved the twist and writhe of this particular knot, though Hobson had been right all along. David Capstone had killed his brother and then tried to pose as the intended target by mailing himself a small bomb. After making his final arrest, Inspector Lewis returned to the mortuary to find Dr. Hobson.

* * *

Hobson was taking it all in, putrid smells and all, one last time. She would miss this place; pathology was her life, yet she was resolute that she would move on to a new chapter. She didn't immediately turn around when she heard Lewis enter. She didn't want him to know that she was on the verge of tears, but how could she hide that from him?

"What are we doing here, Laura?"

"I don't know, Robbie," she answered, assuming that he was talking about the detour in their relationship.

"No, why are we in the mortuary? Shouldn't we be at home?"

"Enjoying one last night together?" Hobson gave him a conciliatory glance, not wanting to ruin whatever time they had left.

"Actually I have a lot of packing left to do," Lewis said simply. Hobson raised an eyebrow at him, questioning, yet hopeful. He spoke haltingly as he clarified his change in plan. "For Australia. Where I'm going with you. To be with me family."

Hobson leapt up and kissed him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Our family," he corrected himself. "I love you, Laura."

"Oh, Robbie," Hobson whispered as he held her tightly and smiled. "I love you too."


	3. Wednesday

The next morning, a very tired yet ever-so-smug taxi driver in a black Jaguar took a break from holding his dad's hand long enough to make a run to the airport in London. Hathaway needed this time to say 'good-bye' to Lewis and Hobson and to gather his thoughts on the future.

On Lewis' advice, James Hathaway had spent the night at his father's side. When Nell came by, Philip Hathaway began to berate his daughter for not having a proper job. He had confused Nell and his late wife who had once done housekeeping at Crevecoeur Hall, where he himself had managed the estate. Once Philip was calm again, James and Nell were able to debrief. "I never told you," James started, "but I went back to Crevecoeur on a case."

Even if Philip had never wanted to acknowledge the truth about the Lord of the manor, James and Nell finally could. They talked openly about the Augustus Mortmaigne that they had known. After everything had been said and many tears shed, James sought to lighten the mood. As Nell blew her nose on James' handkerchief, he made a point somewhat out of the blue. "Plus, I shagged Lady Scarlet."

"James!" She gave him a sisterly admonishment, not sure if she should be horrified or laugh. "You are positively wicked!" They looked at each other for moment unsure of themselves, but then they dissolved into a fit of laughing through the tears.

At last, Nell was proud of James. And James appreciated why Nell could be such a martyr. They comforted each other in the way their father should have many years ago.

Now, James Hathaway looked up at the sky and thought of Lewis and Hobson who were still, literally, up in the air.


	4. Thursday

Ken Lewis greeted his father and Laura Hobson at the airport in Sydney. Father and son were clearly glad to see each other at the outset, but Hobson couldn't help but notice how Ken seemed to grow more anxious as they rode to Ken's home. Robbie Lewis filled Ken's silences with anecdotes of Oxford and his visits to Lyn in Manchester.

On rare phone calls home, Ken had occasionally mentioned his business partner, Ryan. Robbie Lewis had had no reason to assume otherwise. As Ken entered his home with his father plus one, he smiled at Ryan and mustered up his courage.

"Dad, Laura, this is Ryan."

"Ah yes, your business partner," Robbie Lewis said.

"No, dad." Ken nodded knowingly toward Ryan. "Ryan is my partner like Laura is your partner."

Robbie froze. A lifetime of policing had taught him to give no hint as to his emotion.

Hobson took the lead in reacting. "Ryan, I'm delighted to meet you." She leapt up and gave Ryan a peck on the cheek. She then sent Robbie a laden glance, beseeching him to make a move in the right direction. Ken also looked to his father nervously for a reaction.

At last Robbie spoke to Ken. "I've been a bit of a fool, a whole lot of a fool, actually." He stepped forward and offered Ryan his hand. Ryan took it and they shook heartily.

"Son," Robbie turned to Ken, "I haven't been a part of your life. I'll make it up to you, I promise. And I won't forget."

Laura piped up. "And he has me to remind him, just in case."

Ken smiled, "good, I'm glad."

Robbie nodded to Ryan and Laura. "yeah, me too."

* * *

And so it was that the friendship between two DIs, though tested to the limits, did not break. Their bond, along with some help from their doting pathologist, led two families- the Hathaways and the Lewises- to turn the page to a new chapter on reconciliation.

* * *

Author Note: It's no coincidence that this tale of family life wraps up on "Thursday" as a nod to the man that came before Hathaway, Lewis, and Morse. Thank you to Hobsonfan, who let me borrow her character of Ryan for the conclusion of this story. Happy Valentine's Day, fanfic friends! Thanks for celebrating the Robson Romance along with me.


End file.
